Machine for packing cigarettes



b- 1933. w. E. MOUNS ET AL 1,399,893

MACHINE FOR PACKING CIGARETTES Filed May 1, 1931 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Feb 28,1933. w, E, MOLJNS' ET AL, 1,899,898

MACHINE FOR PACKING CIGARETTES Filed May l, 1931- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Feb. 28, 1933 FUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER EVE3,1).1.MOLINS AND GEORGE DANIEL HORGAN, OF DEPTFORD, LONDON,

ENGLAND MACI-IINE FOR PACKING CIGARETTES Application filed May 1, 1931,Serial No. 534,412, and in Great Britain May 6, 1930.

This invention relates to machines for packing-cigarettes and has forits object to provide means whereby ovalcigarettes may be arranged inlapped formation ready for insertion intoa carton or the like. Theinvention is also useful for completely turning over cigarettes for apurpose hereinafter described.

The invention consists of an apparatus-for arranging oval cigarettes inlapped formation, comprising means for delivering a row of cigarettes toa table with their major axes parallel to the same, means for conveyingthe cigarettes through guides arranged to rotate or tilt the cigarettesso that their major axes lie at substantially the same angle to thetable, and means for moving the tilted cigarettes towards one another soas to ob tain the required lapped formation.

= The invention will be more particularly described with reference tothe accompanyin drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a section of a portion of acigarette packing machine with the invention applied thereto. 7

Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 1 on line 33.

Fig. 4.- is a section of Fig. 1 on line 44.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a detail.

Fig. 6 is an end view of another detail.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of a modification.

Referring to the drawings, the cigarettes are fed from a hopper (notshown) into vertical'slots 1 formed by a group, of vanes 2 anddeliveredto a plate or table 3 on which they are spaced apartsufficiently to permit them to lie flat.

A conveyor .4 having pusher pieces 5 carries the row of cigarettes throuh a set of slots 6 formed by turning guides At the entry, each slot'issufficiently wide to permit the cigarettes to lie flat upon the plate 3whilst at the exit the slot is considerably narrower, the cigarettesbeing turned in transit so that they will pass through the narrowoutlet.

The turning guides 7 are shaped as shown in Fig. 5, and as eachcigarette passes through the slots 6 it is turned through an angle bythe ledge or rib 8 engaging with one side thereof, and pressing thisside downwards, and when the cigarettes emerge from the slots 6 they areall standing on the plate 8 at an acute angle thereto.

The shape of the guides as shown in Fig. 5 ensures that all thecigarettes rotate through In order to correctly guide the cigarettesinto the slots 6, the table 3 is preferably pro vided with a series ofcurved grooves 9 in which the cigarettes move shortly after they fallfrom the vane slots, and they are guided into the grooves and spacedcorrectly by a series of fingers 10 formed in a block 10 suspended abovethe table and pressed downwardly by a spring 11. The fingers also guidethe cigarettes into the slots 6; a section of several of the fingers isshown in Fig. 6.

The guides? are carried in a frame pivoted at 12 so that it may beeasily lifted should a jam occur. The frame is free to move up- Wards inthe slots at the pivots so that the conveyor bar which pushes thecigarettes can pass beneath the guides 7.

After the cigarettes pass through the slots 6 they are delivered into atapering guide channel 13, the width of which is sub-divided by smallguides 14:.

In the case illustrated only five cigarettes are being fed and two passat each side in the space 15 whilst the fifth one passes in the centralspace 16.

When larger numbers of cigarettes are being fed, a sufiicient number ofthe guides 14 are furnished so that every pair of cigarettes isseparated by av guide similar to 14. As the cigarettes emerge from thechannel 13-they are all correctly lapped as required,

as the space 17 between the guides is suficienh ly narrow to prevent thecigarettes from lyplate facilitates this action by resting onv theleading ends of the cigarettes as they are being delivered into positionon the bed.

Although the invention has been described for lapping cigarettes, it isobvious that by extending the guides 7 and curving them suitably any oneof the cigarettes may be turned through such an angle that it willeventually 5 fall over when free of the vanes so that it lies on itsreverse side. In Fig. 7 a single guide 22 suitable for this purpose isshown. This method of completely reversing the cigarettes is of use whenthe cigarettes are to be automatically packed with the printedinscription on the upper surface and any cigarette which is initiallylying with the inscription on its lower surface may be turned over byinterposing in its path a guide such as 22, the guide being operated byany suitable mechanism which is in turn actuated from an apparatus whichdetects whether the cigarette is lying the right side up or not.

The detecting apparatus forms no part of 1, the present invention, butsuch detecting apparatus usually consists of light-sensitive cells whichcontrol electro-magnets through relays. In the present case each guide22 would be raised and lowered by a separate magnet.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. In apparatus for arranging oval cigarettes in lapped formation,the combination with means for moving a batch of cigarettes A in thedirection of their length with the major axes thereof substantiallyhorizontal, guide means through which the cigarettes are moved forengaging the same to tilt the H major axes, and converging guidesthrough which the tilted cigarettes are moved for compacting thecigarettes to obtain the desired lapped formation.

2. In apparatus for arranging oval cigarettes in lapped formation, thecombination with means for moving a batch of cigarettes in the directionof their length with the major axes thereof substantially horizontal,

and laterally disposed guides having a spac-' 1 ing less than the majoraxis of the cigarette through which the cigarettes are moved, each.

guide being cut away at the entrance portion thereof to provide a camshoulder for engaging and depressing one side of the cigarette to tiltthe same.

which the tilted cigarettes are moved for compacting the cigarettes toobtain the desired lapped formation, a bed on which the lappedcigarettes are discharged, and means for engaging a batch of thedischarged cigarettes to retain the same in lapped relation while thesucceeding batch is discharged thereon in superimposed relation.

4. In apparatus for arranging oval ciga-f rettes in lapped formation,the combination with means for moving a batch of cigarettes in thedirection of their length with the major axes thereof substantiallyhorizontal, of guide means through which the cigarettes are moved forengaging the same to tilt the major axes, said guide means being movablevertically to permit passage of said first named means thereunder.

5. In apparatus for arranging oval cigarettes in lapped formation, thecombination with means for moving a batch of cigarettes in the directionof their length with the major axes thereof substantially horizontal, ofguide means through which the cigarettes are moved for engaging the sameto tilt the major axes, and a bed located in advance of said guide meansand provided with grooves extending in the direction of the length ofthe cigarettes, said grooves conforming in cross-sectional area to theshape of the broad sides of the cigarettes to locate the cigarettes withtheir major axes disposed substantially horizontal.

6. In apparatus for arranging oval cigarettes in lapped formation, thecombination with means for moving a batch of cigarettes in the directionof their length with the major axes thereof substantially horizontal, ofguide means through which the cigarettes are moved for engaging the sameto tilt the major axes, a bed located in advance of said guide means andprovided with grooves extending in the direction of the length of thecigarettes, said grooves conforming in crosssectional area to the shapeof the broad sides of the cigarettes to locate the cigarettes with theirmajor axes disposed substantially horizontal, and yielding meansengaging the cigarettes to guide the same into the said grooves.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures.

WALTER EVERETT MOLINS. GEORGE DANIEL I-IORGAN.

